Let's Go for a Walk.

20 de enero 2014. So this morning I reluctantly arose at 6am and started heading towards Altagracia's house in the dark, being sure to throw a rock at a dog barking insanely at me. When I arrived, her house was dark. I stopped, waited to see if I could hear rustling, and was only met with silence. So I tried a soft, "Buenos Dias" and this time I was met with a laugh and a "Buenos Dias!" back :). She had just gotten up and was changing. I waited and we called Lucila who was also late. Finally around 6:50, we were off! Walking up into the beautiful views out of my site in the dark. And as the sun rose over the mountains, the fog settled in and left me speechless. The ladies were hysterical though. And between almost stepping on a huge, dead snake and battling barking dogs with sticks, we made a pretty awesome group of three :). 

I made it back to my house at 7:50, threw some water over me and soap and left at 8 exactly; making it to the school just as the director did. Phew! I spent the day observing math in first grade and then hanging with the teachers. And then making posters to fill their empty walls. Hey, I'll do anything for some good ol' confianza ;). I went to lunch at Nena's, laid down and rested a bit and then headed back to the school with the promise that the director made so we could talk. He was busy, however, so I kept myself occupied doing more posters. Finally at 4:55, he finished his "work" organizing the cabinet and sat down with me. And after the following the question I've been dying to ask, "When my boss Ann came with her proposal, or idea of a volunteer, what were you excited about? What did you want from a volunteer?" I got this: 1.  Help with their English classes in 6-8 grade. 2.  Computer lessons for the kids on the computer in the office.  And 3. A map painted on a wall somewhere in the school.

So for at least the 4th time (4th time I've explained it anyways...I know Ann did too before me), I reiterated that my project is with literacy. And asked if there's anything related to literacy he would like help with.  He kind of nodded but didn't say anything so I explained that in my old site I helped the teachers (lie...) and paused hoping for a reaction to that. Nothing. So I continued and said that I also did evaluations of all the kids 1-4 grade and had small groups to help those who were a bit behind. Of course then he perked up and says, "Yes, that's your job, okay. Help the kids that are lower than the others."  And proceeded to give me a list for first grade... Guess I'm back to where I wasn't supposed to be.

I went home and just hung out with my Doña a bit and then got to FaceTime my family for the first time since I've gotten to my site!

Later that night I then was asked by Francheska if I wanted to go to some place where a bunch of people go and is very far away. And we would walk. I was confused so they explained that people put candles around a shrine and make wishes to the Virgen Altagracia and come from all over the country. We would leave around 9pm and not get back until at the earliest, 1am. Nena kept saying for me that I didn't want to go but I kept looking at her with a face and finally said, actually, I do want to go. So at 9:30pm with Francheska, my new love Alexander (Tin Tin-9 year old), their father and another woman and her baby boy, we left by foot in the sprinkling rain! Stopping at El Cruce because it was raining, we waiting for about 20 minutes before heading out again. Pipe ended up meeting up with us because he wanted to be sure I was safe; there would be lots of drunks there lol. 

And 13km, 2 breaks, 3 piggy back rides for Tin Tin (he fell asleep on me all three times until I couldn't take his weight anymore), two baby carries, and 3 1/2 hours later, we arrived to a place set into a mountain side with a ton of people. Yes, my ankles were (are!) killing me but it was so worth it to do something crazy, a tradition here (January 21-Altagracia Day), knowing it only happens once a year and means so much for so many Dominicans to make these wishes and pray to her.  

The pictures turned out poorly but here:

Candles were laid and prayers made but you could also wait in line (on the left) to go up to her shrine, touch her face, and pray more directly to her. 

We were literally there for a solid 15 minutes and were on the hunt for a free ride back. None of us would have been able to do the winding, hilly, 13km trek back haha. And after about a half hour of waiting on the back of a huge flatbed truck, about 30 of us piled in and were off. And the ride back was probably only 20 minutes. INSANITY. 

So at 2:30am, I was in my bed with a bleeding foot and pounding ankles and happy :)